Shoe



Patented den. 12, 1925.

warren STATES RALPH L. RAYMOND, OF AUBURN, MAINE.

SHOE.

Application filed June 14:, 1920.

Z '0 (all 1011077). it may concern.

Be it known that I, RALPH L. RAYMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Auburn, county of Androscoggin, State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a flexible shoe structure designed to freely permit the natural movements of the foot in walking or running. It is extremely desirable that the sole yield on lines conforming to the anatomy of the foot. In walking there is a swinging or rolling movement across the ball of the foot and at the base of the arches. The ordinary sole as heretofore constructed, does not satisfactorily permit this movement and in fact to some extent opposes it.

Various expedients have been devised to impart flexibility to the sole without breaking down the sole structure. It has been proposed to slit the sole transversely and a machine has been devised for imparting a bend to the sole. These various expedients are, however, all open to objection, in that they permit the sole to yield only on absolutely definite lines, as for example where the sole is slitted transversely it can yield only on transverse lines.

In my invention I provide a Zone of fiexure in the ball portion of the sole wherein the inherent stiffness of the sole is relieved along lines and over a general area which permits the sole to yield in practically any direction. Preferably the relief is along general lines which are diagonally intersecting lines and which permit the sole to yield laterally in two directions as well as in a direction which is a combination or res0lution of the lines of lateral yield, so as to follow the natural movements of the foot in walking. These lines of relief are produced by pricking the sole in criss-cross fashion. WVhile in itself satisfactory, a sole so treated may have additional flexibility imparted to it by passing the sole after it has been scored or pricked through a bending machine, moulding machine or any other suitable device which will give to the sole a considerable degree of fiexation through the pricked zone. step to the bending step is difficult to determine, but apparently the pricking step frees the sole about a large number of points so that the entire area of the sole included by said points may bend freely in any direc- The exact relation of the pricking Serial No. 388,886.

tion. In other words, the pricking members produce a substantial change in the fibre and in the arrangement of the fibre of the sole and the mechanical flexing after the sole has been pricked works the fibres into a freer state, apparently separating the ends of those fibres which have been entirely cut in the pricking step, breaking other fibres that are not quite cut through in the pricking step and causing a different disposition of those other fibres which are not touched by the prick punches. The sole is preferably flexed along lines perpendicular to the lines of pricking,'since the flexing movements of the foot are a combination or resolution of lateral movements which intersect each other through the ball of the foot.

My invention is particularly applicable to a shoe of the McKay type, wherein the upper is first lasted to the inner sole and the outer sole is then tacked and the two soles are stitched through and through, resulting in a stiff, hard and inflexible structure. For the purposes of this application I shall show and describe my invention in its relation to a shoe of this type although it will be understood that this showing is purely illustrative and in no way limiting.

According to my invention either the inner sole or the outer sole or both may be pricked and flexed in the manner described, thus giving to a McKay shoe a degree of flexibility fully equal to that of the turn shoe.

Throughout the specification and draw ings like reference characters are correspondingly employed, and in the drawings:

Fig. I is a plan view of a shoe sole in accordance with my invention.

Fig. II is a partly sectional View of a McKay shoe illustrating the application of my invention to a shoe of this type, and

Fig. 111 is a diagram illustrating the manneiof pricking the sole.

According to my invention, a sole 1 is first pricked along lines of relief which preferably intersect diagonally through the ball portion of the sole, producing a Zone of flexure wherein'the sole may yield laterally in two directions or in a direction which is a combination or resolution of the lines of puncture, thus to accommodate the sole to the swinging or rolling movement of the foot in walking. The pricks or punctures may be produced in any convenient manner. InFig. I they are representedas a plurality of intersecting lines of prioked holes 2. Where the sole is pricked, a substantial change in thedisposition of the fibres is apparently produced. This is indicated very diagrammatically in Fig. III, wherein certain of the fibres are represented as being entirely severed, and adjacent fibres are compacted about the prick holes. The

)rickin ma be convenientl )erformed With a needlecarrier 4. provided with a plurality of rows of chisel-pointed needles 5 arranged in proper relation to produce the permanent bend to the sole.

7 lines of prick holes 2 shown in Fig. I.

a Either the inner or outer sole, or both may be pricked. I11 Fig. II I have shown both soles pricked and applied to a shoe 6 r of the McKay type.

lVhile the intersecting lines of pricks or punctures result in a zone of superior flexiblllty ascompared With previous soles, it

is sometimes desirable to impart a relatively This may be performed in thefamiliar flexing machines now in use. As previously indicated, the bending operation apparently produces a further change in the fibre disposition of the sole, and is preferably imparted along lines perpendicular to the lines of pricking or puncturing.

The invention may be variously practiced and applied all Without departing from the spirit of my invention if Within the limits of the appended claims.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A shoe sole the ball portion of which is provided with intersecting oblique lines of pricked holes whereby it is rendered flexible in all directions.

2. The method of rendering the ball portion of a shoe sole flexible consisting in providing a restricted Zone thereof With a plurarity of lines of pricked holes or punctures.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

RALPH L. RAYMOND. 

